Tuff Gong Recording // Zion at Bob Marley's Studio

In 2006, we took a trip to Jamaica to record at Bob Marley’s studio. We stayed at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston that night. The next morning, I was told to come downstairs, I’d found there where four Jamaicans sitting in the lobby waiting for me. When I came down into the lobby, I knew one of the men look very familiar – indeed he did he was Sticky Thompson who played with Ziggy Marley and Bob. His son was there as well, Alrick Thompson. I was extremely excited when I found out that these men were from Tuff Gong since I’d looked up to Bob’s music so much. They were laid back brothers. That day, we schedule an appointment to record two songs in the studio, and we did. I’d spent most of the night while Alrick mixed the songs; meanwhile in Bob’s studio, I noticed there were pictures of him hanging on the wall in the glass window that separated the control room. There were Awards won by Rita Marley, too.

I got to meet Squidly Cole, who is featured on my CD, Upright and Poor Man Crying,with his drums skills and JAH Roops on bass. After the studio session, Alrick give me a tour in his Honda around Halfway Tree and he also showed me were Capleton lived, but he was not home. Alrick drives like a true islander. We also visited Bob’s museum, I got to meet a brother by the name of Corn Bread, he give me a tour late at night around the museum. I took a picture, but did not know it was not allowed. In that picture, there was beautiful artwork on the wall in the back of the museum. That was my first major experience, and a good one, ‘cause I always wanted to record in Marley’s studio.